Well, today I’m diving in. I’m expanding Seinfeld’s idea beyond the realm of writing and creative work and turning the chain into a tangible object, not just crossed-out days on a calendar. I wonder: will bringing my habits and goals into the physical world increase my odds of success?

I have a theory that a big red X on a calendar might not be enough for some ADHD’ers. Personally, the idea of creating a big, long paper chain — one that would outgrow all the places I found to store it — is much more exciting.

Habit challenge: from 30 days to 60

I had great success with a 30-day yoga challenge this summer. A long-distance friend joined me. We texted often to check in and share yoga podcasts and YouTube channels. My daily practice enriched my quality of life dramatically, to say the least, but I still fell away from it once the 30 days were up. If you have ADHD, this probably sounds familiar.

There must be a way for even the most habit-challenged among us to reroute our neural pathways — to make our desired habits stick.

In the interest of making progress toward permanent habits, I want my paper chain to do the yoga challenge one better: I want 60 days unbroken.

Choosing a chain (just one)

Speaking of habits, I have a bad one: leaping headfirst into too many projects at once. Toodledo is my preferred method of self-medication. I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering, do we need to work on just one chain at a time?

Yes. The ability to prioritize is a critical skill, and one worth practicing. Not to mention dividing your focus leaves fewer mental resources for each goal.

Faced with choosing just one habit to strengthen over the next 60 days, I’m going with meditation. Meditation is scientifically proven to strengthen focus, willpower, and executive function. Hopefully, meditating daily will give me across-the-board benefits.

I’ll post updates as I build — and try not to break — my chain.

Does technique sound like it would work for you? Why or why not? Interested in joining me? I’d love to hear about your goals and habits in the comments.

What a great idea! The links could be used for each task of a long-term project. Great for kids with executive functioning deficits and ADHD (if you help them create the chain). I might try this with my pre-teen son.

Penny Williams
Author of “Boy Without Instructions: Surviving the Learning Curve of Parenting a Child with ADHD” and “What to Expect When You’re Not Expecting ADHD”
ParentingADHDChildren.com

Jaclyn Paul

Thanks for stopping by, Penny! I love the idea of using the chain for a long-term project. It feels like a simpler version of the One Task, One Stone system I wrote about a while back — something that could work with all ages and help remind us of the progress we’ve made. Let me know how it works for you and your son!

Hi! I’m Jaclyn.

I'm a stay-at-home mom and writer. My husband and I share a home, a charming preschooler, and an ADHD diagnosis.

It's possible to calm the chaos! I've managed to create a satisfying life and a peaceful home for myself and my family. I did it by treating my ADHD, learning about my brain, and figuring out what really works to keep my home, schedule, and relationships under control.

I believe you can do it, too. You just have to keep taking tiny steps forward every day.

Even if you don't have ADHD, I hope you'll stick around! In such a busy world, we all have lots to learn.

Search The ADHD Homestead

Follow Me on Facebook

I find cash EVERY time I do a big decluttering operation. Every time. And I don't even use cash that often. I don't know where it comes from! And yes, I did once give away a purse with a checkbook in it. #ADHD #decluttering ... See MoreSee Less

8 February, 2018 Believe it or not, humans are innately designed to want to learn skills that support independence. This includes your children (even though they may not show it.) Before you say – No way, my kid has no interest in doing anything on their own! let’s take a quick throwback to when...

Sometimes — maybe more than sometimes — people with ADHD behave in ways that make no sense. Those living close to us wonder, how can we not understand? Spending money now = not having it later. Missing another deadline = getting fired from your job. Forgetting to put gas in the car = car not running. We learn these concepts as babies, when we invert our Cheerios bowl over the floor, or pull the cat’s tail, or cry when left alone in our crib. It’s basic cause and effect. ... See MoreSee Less

A critical message, and not at all surprising to those of us who have lived with untreated ADHD (or watched others do the same).

Excerpt:

Barkley’s key message is that unless primary care doctors recognize and treat ADHD effectively, efforts to treat conditions that are correlated with it will fail.

“If we didn’t see any differences I would question the calculator, but we did,” he said.

When patients walk into provider offices with unrelenting conditions linked to ADHD—such as obesity, substance use disorder, marital discord, motor vehicle accidents, or other poor health issues—the doctor is “trying to treat the medical problem, but he’s not looking underneath it." ... See MoreSee Less

Using a large database created by a center for actuarial studies, a psychologist and researcher is positing that people with the worst cases of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will see a 25-year reduction in life expectancy, according to a presentation made Saturday at the annual mee...